Masochistic MEMOIRS
by Sweet Obsidian Rain
Summary: Just when he got over the lost of the most important person in his life, fate decided to give him another chance. [Dirty Pair]
1. MEMOIR Start

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine.

xD New story. This idea just kept nagging me... So I had to get it out. Anyways, because WtLB is my top priority at the moment (besides school and tennis), this story will be updated slowly until I can juggle everything around nicely. By slow, I mean like... slow... and randomly; many chapters will be short as well. xD

I would like to dedicate this fic to everyone on Dudly's forum... You all know who you are! xD  
And special thanks to **awin-chan**, **Dudly**, and **Eternal.Angel** in helping me plan this fic out. xD

"**Bold**" English for dialog  
"Normal" Japanese when used for dialog  
"_Italics_" Flashback, Important Stuff, Locations, etc

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**  
By Sweet Obsidian Rain

Prologue

* * *

_Bam. Crash. _

The sound of a huge collision echoed throughout the road.

Sound... There was a terrifying sound tearing through the air. It took Oshitari a few minutes to register everything. Screams... anguished screams, he thought. The sounds he heard was of someone screaming in pain.

Suddenly, the boy panicked. He had realized who was screaming.

_Gakuto!_

The sound of an ambulance was the last thing he heard before the darkness enveloped him.

* * *

"...doctor! Hurry, he's waking!" 

Oshitari stirred. Where was he? The tensai tried to move, but he was not very successful. He realized that practically his whole body was wrapped in bandages.

Then it hit him.

The boy shot up and ignored the burning pain that shot through his body. "Where's Gakuto?!"

Oshitari looked around frantically, but he only saw his parents and Atobe looking at him gravely in the room. In a white, dull, and lifeless-like hospital room.

He brought himself to look at his captain. "Where is he...?" he whispered.

Atobe regarded him with sad eyes. Oshitari felt himself go cold. _'Please... no...'_

His friend only shook his head. "He's gone."

* * *

_Four Years Later..._

Oshitari Yuushi grunted as he placed his desk into the corner of the room. He stood up and dusted off his hands, satisfied that he was done with rearranging his apartment.

A sudden crash and a string of curses from his living room brought the blue haired man running to check on what was going on. Arriving, he saw Atobe bent over hopping on one foot. Quite ungraceful for someone like the diva.

"Yuushi! What is wrong with you?! Leaving boxes out for Ore-sama to trip on."

Oshitari raised a brow. "'Ore-sama' is supposedly graceful and poised. I didn't know he could trip on a mere box."

"Hhmp. Don't just leave things around next time." Atobe glared.

"Hai hai. Really, Keigo, you need to stop being so sensitive," he paused and a thought hit him, "What are you doing here?"

The diva unexpectedly quieted down with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

"What is it, Keigo? Did you do something to upset your father again?"

Atobe frowned and shook his head. "Yuushi. I... have received some news... That you may not be ready to know about yet."

The tensai snorted. "What? Did you get Jiroh pregnant, and you want me to be your child's godfather?"

The grey-haired man looked at Oshitari in the eye; he found himself frozen. "I'm serious."

"Alright... what is it?" He sighed.

Atobe's expression changed into one that Oshitari had only seen once in his lifetime. One that he saw only four years ago...

Oshitari suddenly felt like he didn't want to know whatever news Atobe was about to tell him.

"_He's_ alive. And he's coming back."

* * *

TBC. 

Short, I know. I'm just busy, and I want to take today to relax. Not to mention I have a sore throat at the moment... X.X

Anyways, review are much appreciated! Actually, I might not continue this story if I don't get much reviews since then I feel that people don't like this. And if they don't, then what's the use of writing it when I can do something else with the time, ne?

_First Unrevised Version 9.11.07_


	2. MEMOIR One: Gone

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. Isn't that obvious?

Here it is! The second chapter of Masochistic MEMOIRS! Everyone that has reviewed so far, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! xD They just made my day. Now, I would just love you all if you keep leaving such supportive (and helpful) reviews for me! xD For the readers that didn't review, I thank you for reading, but won't you spare me a comment as well?

"**Bold**" English for dialog  
"Normal" Japanese when used for dialog  
"_Italics_" Flashback, Important Stuff, Locations, etc.

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**  
By Sweet Obsidian Rain

MEMOIR One: Gone

* * *

_Oshitari's Room, 2:13 A.M._

_They were driving along the road, enjoying themselves. Laughing and joking together, the two didn't notice a black car following them until it was too late._

_BAM!_

_The sound of a gunshot made Gakuto stop in the middle of his sentence. Both of them glanced back in fear. "Hold on, Gakuto. I'll get us out of here!"_

_The redhead only clutched onto Oshitari's jacket, pale, and nodded. He trusted his boyfriend with his life. _

_Without warning, Oshitari took off, swerving left and right to avoid the bullets of two guns. They were doing well..._

The former Hyoutei tensai turned in his bed.

_CRASH._

_The car collided with an enormous tree, setting both the car and tree on fire. Oshitari felt trembling slender hands remove his seat belt and pushing him out of the car._

_He crashed painfully into the ground. The tensai tried to open his eyes, but found that he couldn't. _

_Suddenly, fear struck him strongly. _

_He didn't know why at first, but his senses came back to him in a few seconds and he realized the anguished sounds he heard were of his lover screaming._

_"I love you, Yuushi!" _

_---_

_Atobe stared hard into Oshitari's eyes. "He's gone."_

_The blue haired teenager shook his head. Slowly at first, but it gradually became frantic. "No! IT CAN'T BE TRUE!" The tensai immediately bolted out of bed, limping towards the door. His parents reached out to their son, but Atobe beat them to it._

_It took Atobe all his strength to hold the flailing boy from running off on his own and hurting himself again. Besides, it wasn't safe for him to go out._

_"Listen... Yuushi, listen to me!"_

_"No! Lies! You're lying to me! Gakuto can't be dead!"_

_"OSHITARI YUUSHI! AS YOUR CAPTAIN, I COMMAND YOU TO SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" _

_It was no use. The tensai continued to struggle._

_Atobe took a deep breath and glared furiously at his friend. "GAKUTO IS NOT DEAD!"_

_This made the boy stop. He turned and grabbed Atobe's shoulders. "What do you mean he's not dead?! You said he was gone!"_

_The diva glared even more. "Yuushi, you need to calm down before I tell you anything. Get back into bed and eat first."_

_When the blue headed teen refused to budge, the Hyoutei captain sighed. "...I won't tell you anything if you don't do what I tell you now."_

_Reluctantly, Oshitari climbed back into the bed with Atobe's help. Atobe turned to Oshitari's parents and bowed to them. "I'm sorry, but I think it would be best for me to discuss the situation with Yuushi alone. I hope you understand, Oshitari-san and Oshitari-san." _

_Oshitari Junko _(1)_, the tensai's mother, smiled tiredly. "It's fine. I'll tell the doctor to wait until you're done... Just don't take too long, Atobe-kun. And please just call us by our first names." She reached out and took her hesitant husband's hand before leading them both to the door._

_When the doors were closed, Oshitari stared hard at Atobe and demanded, "Tell me. Now."_

_Atobe picked up an apple and washed it at the sink in the bathroom. Returning, he held the apple out towards his teammate. "Eat."_

_Oshitari shook his head. "Tell me where Gakuto is."_

_The gray-haired teen took his friend's hand and placed the apple in them. "Eat, and I will tell you."_

_Lifting the apple up to his lips, Oshitari took a bite out of it, finally realizing how hungry he was._

_Atobe settled in the chair next to the bed, ignoring how uncomfortable it was. His friend was more important at this moment. "Yuushi, first, you need to know that you were in coma for a month."_

_The other boy stopped chewing and stared at Atobe. "A... month?"_

_The captain nodded. "Yes, and when you crashed, a man happen to be nearby. After you had lost consciousness, he jumped into the car and got Gakuto out right before the car exploded into pieces. The doctors here tried their best to save Gakuto, but the best they could do was keep him alive and bandage his wounds. I offered the Mukahis to have the best doctors in the world to treat him, but they refused and left for America. They had Gakuto transferred on a plane. He's somewhere in the States now..."_

_"Atobe, you can use your connections to look for him?"_

_He shook his head. "It would take at least a few months. The Mukahis were very secretive and kept their whereabouts quiet. It took me this whole month to only find out that they are in the States."_

_"How was... he when he left?" Oshitari was almost afraid to ask. Scratch that. He was afraid._

_Atobe hesitated before replying, "Not in very good condition. He stopped breathing a few times..."_

_The blue haired boy stared at him. "You don't mean... he..." The tensai found himself choking on his own sobs._

_"...Yes..." Atobe admitted quietly. He looked at the wall across from him, avoiding Oshitari's eyes. "He... might or might not be alive at this very moment."_

_"No..."_

"NO!" Oshitari shot up in his bed, covered in sweat. He looked at his hands to see that they were shaking.

He closed his eyes, painful memories from four years ago now fresh in his mind.

---

_"**He's** alive. And he's coming back."_

_--- _

The former tensai sighed and looked at his clock. _3:59 A.M._

Getting up, he carefully stepped onto the carpet and walked down his apartment's hallway to the kitchen.

Filling his cup up with milk and warming it up at the microwave, the man sat down in a chair and slowly drank his milk.

Oshitari's eyes were drawn to the object in his hands, and he gave himself a bitter smile. On the white mug, was a picture of a tennis ball with a chibi Gakuto hugging a chibi Yuushi while sitting on the ball. It was a custom made mug that Gakuto had gotten for him on his 15th birthday. It brought back happy memories before he was once again reminded of his loss.

He had treasured the mug with his heart, and he used it whenever he felt the need to. Even the warm milk was a habit he had picked up.

_"Warm milk?"_

_A younger Gakuto looked up with a sheepish smile, dressed in blue striped pajamas._

_Oshitari shook his head. "I don't understand why you drink this stuff every time you have a nightmare."_

_"Well, it's like... a good luck charm. That keeps away evil things," Gakuto tried to explain._

_"I don't see how drinking milk wards of evil spirits."_

_"It comforts me, and whenever I have a nightmare, I drink warm milk! And it helps me chase away the evil nightmares I have. See? It's like a charm!"_

_"...Then why don't you just drink it every night?"_

_"Because that won't work. I tried it a few times already. It only works when I wake up and drink the milk before going asleep."_

_Oshitari stared at his crush strangely. "...You're weird."_

_But after a week, the tensai had picked up Gakuto's strange tradition._

Finishing the white liquid, Oshitari washed the mug before heading upstairs and climbed into the bed again.

He stared up at the ceiling, slowly nodding off into sleep.

---

_"I love you, Yuushi."_

---

* * *

_Narita_ _International__Airport__ 5:27 A.M._

Mukahi Gakuto stepped out of Gate 245 with his carry-on bag (a red backpack) on his back. He glanced around and tried to read the many signs in various languages.

Reading the Japanese section, he slowly navigated his way around the huge building. Arriving at the luggage claim, he found a spot and waited for his luggage.

It wasn't long before Gakuto had his two suitcases in tow, and was heading towards the north exit.

Scanning the crowds, he spotted an old man dresses in a fine suit holding a sign with his name. He walked towards the man.

"Are you Mukahi Gakuto-sama?"

The redhead nodded.

---

_"Are you really sure you want to return?"_

---

* * *

T.B.C. 

1. I don't know his parents' names. Anyone know them?

There! I tried my best to make the chapter longer. I'm in a writing mood today, but I want to get working on the one-shot I was talking about in WtLB's A/N. I did mention that the chapters of this story would often be short. As you can see, the writing style/format is a bit different than my usual. Probably because this is my first and successful try at angst by myself. (At least I hope it's angst. If it's not, I don't know WHAT it is.)

Anyways, hope you enjoy it! Review please!

_First Unrevised Version 9.22.07 _


	3. MEMOIR Two: Noise

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine.

First of all, I must thank all the people that have reviewed so far! I admit, I am disappointed that I didn't get as much reviews for chapter one as I did on the prologue. To the ones that have reviewed, thank you so much! I will try my best to make this fic worth reading! If you haven't reviewed, won't you take a few seconds or minutes to type up a comment for me?

EDIT: The flashback in the library where they first met will be used for a school project, so Mrs. F-- Er... teacher, if you see this, know that I did not plagiarize!

"**Bold**" English for dialog  
"Normal" Japanese when used for dialog  
"_Italics_" Flashback, Important Stuff, Locations, etc.

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**  
By Sweet Obsidian Rain

MEMOIR Two: Noise

* * *

_Oshitari's Room, 9:13 A.M. _

_BANG._

The sound of many scurrying feet and shouts could be heard outside of the former tensai's apartment. Stirring groggily, he reluctantly left his warm bed and slammed the door to his bathroom shut.

Oshitari opened the door to his apartment and poked his head outside. A piece of toast was hanging out of his mouth. What he saw surprised him. New furniture was being brought into the empty apartment next to his. Luggage, a crate of food, and decorative objects were also being carried by men inside the apartment.

Honestly, it was just an average size apartment. No one would need that many people to help with moving into such a small place. No one except the idiot that was going to be his new neighbor.

Suddenly, Oshitari caught a familiar flash of red he hadn't seen in years... No... it couldn't be...

The man felt himself unable to move; he stood there for nearly an hour before he could feel his legs again. By that time, the movers had already left, and the apartment next door seemed to be locked.

Oshitari ran up to the railing and looked below him, hoping to catch a glimpse of the red hair he saw earlier this morning.

Of course, it had been nearly an hour since he saw the reminder of his past, and he was probably imagining things. Feeling disappointed and empty, the bluenette entered his apartment, walked to his room, kicked off his slippers, and went to back to sleep. A tear or two trailed down his cheeks.

---

_"Well, it's like... a good luck charm. That keeps away evil things."_

_---_

_Oshitari skimmed through the spines of the various romance novels on the shelf. None of the titles caught his attention. No, all the ones that did, he had already read. _

_Sighing, the tensai turned to walk out of he library, seeing as he wasn't going to find any good books to read. Before he could even blink, he found himself trapped under a redhead with books scattered near them._

_"Oww..." the redhead groaned and pulled himself up. He didn't seem to notice Oshitari under him. _

_"Excuse me... Could you get off, please?"_

_The boy looked down and a look of panic passed his face before he jumped up. Reaching down to help the tensai up, the redhead grinned at him apologetically. "So sorry. I didn't mean to run into you."_

_Uncomfortable and not knowing what to do, Oshitari nodded and bent down to help the other boy pick up his books._

_"What's your name?" the redhead asked. "Oh, thanks..." He took the books from Oshitari's arms and stacked them on a nearby table. "I'm Mukahi Gakuto. Nice to meet you."_

_Lost of words, the tensai only said his name and shook the outstretched hand. "Oshitari Yuushi."_

_The boy named Mukahi didn't seem to notice Oshitari's uneasiness. "Hi! I'm new to the district. This is my first year as Hyoutei Gakuen."_

_The blunette nodded. No wonder he had never seen the boy around before. "I see. Welcome to Hyoutei then."_

_"Are you looking for a romance novel to read?"_

_Oshitari reached out to push his glasses up before answering, "Yes, but it seems that all I've read all the interesting ones."_

_Gakuto looked eager. "Have you read this one yet?" He picked up the book at the top of his stack and showed it to his newfound friend._

_The blue haired boy took it and looked at its cover. "It doesn't have a title." He opened it up to find a title page, but found none. "It doesn't look interesting at all."_

_The redhead shook his head. "'You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.' Haven't you ever heard of that?"_

The doorbell rang. Oshitari woke up with a start and took his time to answer the door. From experience, he knew that the impatient knocks and ringing of the bell were only done by one person.

One person named Atobe Keigo.

When he had finally opened the door to let he diva in, Atobe stood by the doorway with an irritated look on his face. "What took you so long?!"

Oshitari blinked, still in a daze. "Atobe... What are you doing here?"

"Hmph. Ore-sama came here to check on you, and that's all you greet Ore-sama with?"

"...If you're here to find someone to pay attention to you, then you've got the wrong place. Go find Jiroh."

The gray-haired man frowned. "Oshitari, did you get enough sleep?"

The former tensai yawned in response.

"Okay. I guess not..." Atobe looked his friend once over. "Well? Aren't you going to let me in?" Without waiting for an answer, he took Oshitari by his shoulder and steered the man inside, closing the door with his foot.

He led the bluenette into the kitchen and left him at the counter. In a few minutes Atobe had the tea brewing. The diva came back with two cups filled with hot green tea and sat in a stool next to his friend.

"So? What did you come here for, Atobe?"

"Well..."

Oshitari raised an eye brow and stared at Atobe, holding his cup to his lips.. "I can't help if you don't tell me."

"One of my sources informed me that a man going by the name Mukahi Gakuto took a plane from New York and arrived here in Japan around 5:30 this morning."

Oshitari's grip on his cup slipped, and the expensive material hit the floor with a sharp shattering sound. The silence that followed was one filled with tension."... What?"

"One of my—"

"He's alive and back for real?! Are you sure?!" Oshitari's hands shot out and shook the diva. "Answer me! Where is he right now?"

"Yuushi, calm down! I don't know where he is. You have to stop freaking out whenever I tell you something about him." The ex-captain of Hyoutei felt his head swarming as his shoulders were pushed and pulled down none too gently. Where did Yuushi get all this strength?

Slowly, the stunned man let go of Atobe and mumbled, "Sorry."

A sigh. "It's fine. I'm the one that should be sorry. I got you all worked up... And I'm barely able to gather any information for you..."

"No... No. Atobe, you've been a great help." Oshitari closed his eyes and tried to picture a calm lake. He needed to get his emotions under control. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"Actually, yes. Jiroh and I felt that we needed to spend some time alone... With only the two of us before we our summer break is over. So we decided to go and spend a month in Italy," Atobe paused and his expression became concerned, "I won't be able to help you with anything while I'm gone. Will you be alright by yourself?"

Registering the information, Oshitari slowly nodded. "I understand; I'll be fine. Have a nice vacation with Jiroh. When are you going?"

Atobe smiled faintly. "Two days from now."

* * *

_Park, 6:00 P.M._

Listening to his own quiet footsteps, Oshitari strolled down the path and sat on a swing. Pushing himself gently down the ground with his feet, he swung back and forth, feeling the slight breeze brush against his cheeks.

Atobe had stayed and chatted with him until his lover finally called the diva and ushered the man to go back home. No doubt to pack. And snuggle. And do their daily _activities_.

Chuckling to himself, he found it ironic how a man like Atobe Keigo could be twisted around the finger of someone who was like his complete opposite.

---

_"I guess love does many things to people, ne?"_

---

His chuckling subsided and Oshitari found himself listening to the sound of children approaching the park. The screeches and laughter made the blunette smile to himself. It was just like the old times... When things were much more... innocent.

_A certain redhead ran across the garden carrying an enormous water gun while giggling madly. _

_Oshitari stood rooted on the spot, soaked from head to toe. Water dripped down his hair, and the tensai turned to glare at his friend. "You!" With a roar, he picked up the running hose he was using to water the flowers and lunged after Gakuto. He held the hose up, and aimed at his friend._

_Gakuto screeched loudly as he felt ice-cold water hit his back. Hiding behind a statue, the stone protected him from the water. Not for long though, for Oshitari somehow took a shortcut and appeared behind him. Once again, Gakuto found himself drenched and shivering afterwards. "Gotcha!" The bespectacled man smirked widely._

_Pouting, Gakuto turned away from his friend. "Mou, not fair. You had an advantage."_

_"It's your fault for being so poorly prepared."_

_Within a moment, Oshitari was tackled down as the redhead stole his hose and got his payback._

The sound of a violin playing filled the air. The man could tell that whoever was playing it was only an intermediate violinist and was struggling with the piece. Of course he'd know; he was an expert violinist. _Was_. After _that _incident, he'd let go of playing the instrument again.

Oshitari's felt his fingers twitching to play. It was odd. He'd been near many violins and heard many musicians for the past few years and he didn't have the sudden urge to play like he did now. Yet, hearing the unknown violinist play the piece (which he or she was definitely struggling with) was making his blood pulse like it did four years ago.

Placing his feet firmly on the ground to stop swinging, Oshitari stood up and followed the music to its source. It took him a few minutes to find his way around the trees and bushes, but finally he reached a clearing.

A willow's branches covered his view from seeing who the violinist was, but he could see the faint outline of a male figure. Reaching out to push the willow's arms aside, what he saw was something that made his head swarm and fly.

It brought on many emotions... Happy and painful ones.

He gasped.

---

_"_What_ are you doing with _my_ violin?!"_

---

* * *

T.C.B. 

Done! xD I wrote half of this chapter while listening and re-listening to the Devil's Trill (or is it Devil's Thrill? I've seen many ways to spell it...). xD It's addicting... xD

As always, this chapter is short. I feel like I rushed things a bit, but this story was meant to be fast paced. xD Should I slow down a bit? I know Yuushi's OOC, but bear with it. He's shocked, and well… Love does many things to you, ne? This is a future fic as well, so people do change as they mature and grow. Not to mention that anyone would change if what happened to Yuushi happened to them. Don't worry; he'll be more in character as the story progresses. Please tell me your opinion about the pace of the story in your reviews, ne?

_First Unrevised Version 9.29.07 _


	4. MEMOIR Three: Violinist?

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. Now stop making fun of me... -sniff-

I have a writer's black at the moment, so I apologize if this chapter turns out to be horrible. WtLB will be on short hiatus until I can get everything together.  
I beg for reviews... I only got 6 for the last chapter... SIX! I feel like this story isn't being appreciated... (I could say the same for WtLB) Oh well. I'll just have to deal with it... for now. I feel like... going on vacation and leaving this fic hanging. But I won't do that just yet for the sake of those that did review and liked this. (Hey, I said I was begging…)

Enjoy!  
"**Bold**" English for dialog  
"Normal" Japanese when used for dialog  
"_Italics_" Flashback, Important Stuff, Locations, etc.

* * *

_Park, 6:46 P.M._

Oshitari had always prided himself for his capacity to analyze things clearly and control his emotions. However, he seemed to have lost the ability to do such things these past few years.

And he knew the exact reason why.

It was because of the person he was looking at right this very moment. The boy— no, man that was thought to be dead until a few days ago. The man that had changed Oshitari's life was back. It was the one person that Oshitari Yuushi loved more than anything.

It was Mukahi Gakuto.

The former tensai stood rooted on the spot, unable to move. The willow branches that Oshitari still held in his hands creaked, as if protesting against the man's tight hold.

"Gakuto…"

---

_"'You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.' Haven't you ever heard of that?"_

**_---_**

Suddenly, the redhead turned around and Oshitari stared…

…Into the face of Kikumaru Eiji. "Hoi! Oishi!"

The man was bouncing like a five-year-old despite his age. The former Hyoutei tensai was startled when Eiji started running towards him, waving his arms recklessly. The violin was held in his hand in a rather loose fashion.

Oshitari looked around for any signs of the other half of the Golden Pair but found none. Realization dawned to him not long after though. Looking down at himself, he saw that he was dressed differently, in clothes that were definitely not his.

"Oishi!!!"

Reaching up to feel his face, he was horrified to find that he was Oishi Syuichirou.

* * *

-snicker- I bet I gotcha there! Since everyone practically knew who the violinist was, I decided to put in a little something to mess with you all. xD Here's the real chapter:

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**  
By Sweet Obsidian Rain

MEMOIR Three: Violinist?

* * *

_Park, 6:46 P.M._

Oshitari had always prided himself for his capacity to analyze things clearly and control his emotions. However, he seemed to have lost the ability to do such things these past few years.

And he knew the exact reason why.

It was because of the person he was looking at right this very moment. The boy— no, man that was thought to be dead until a few days ago. The man that had changed Oshitari's life was back. It was the one person that Oshitari Yuushi loved more than anything.

It was Mukahi Gakuto.

The former tensai stood rooted on the spot, unable to move. The willow branches that Oshitari still held in his hands creaked, as if protesting against the man's tight hold.

"Gakuto…" the words were whispered quietly, but they seemed oddly amplified to Oshitari's ears. Even after four years, Gakuto still had a small and slight frame.

The violinist didn't hear the former tensai though, and continued to struggle with the piece. (_Beethoven's Romance in G major_)

The bluenet's arms fell limply at his sides and the willow's arms snapped back up sharply, creating a startling sound.

Gakuto turned around in the middle of playing and stared at Oshitari with question in his eyes. "Can I…?"

The redhead could not complete his question however. How was someone supposed to ask "Can I help you, sir?" when that "sir" suddenly ran up to you and hugged you like a long-lost lover?

He dropped his violin.

Gakuto gingerly tapped Oshitari's shoulder, meaning to ask the man to let him go. He did not get to ask that though, because right then, he felt warm lips brush against his own. Bringing his arms up, the redhead abruptly pushed Oshitari away.

"What do you think you're doing, pervert?!"

The bespectacled boy stared at Gakuto with disbelief in his eyes before regaining his composure. He cleared his throat, "Mukahi Gakuto…"

Eying Oshitari suspiciously, Gakuto nodded. "That's me. Who are you?" The man bent down slightly to pick up his instrument, still keeping an eye on the stranger.

"I… You really don't remember?"

Confused, Gakuto narrowed his eyes. "Remember what?"

Trembling, the bluenet finally realized what had happened.

_'Gakuto… I'm sorry. I guess it's better for the both of us to remain strangers from now on…'_

"I apologize… I must've mistaken you for someone else." Turning, he was about to walk away when Gakuto called out.

"Mukahi Gakuto isn't a very common name…" The redhead's voice got softer, laced with uncertainty. "Did you know me?"

Stopping in his tracks, Oshitari felt himself lose control. "Yes… We were… very close."

Gakuto was glad that the man in front of him had his back turned, for if he did not, then Oshitari would no doubt see the red tint spreading across his cheeks. "I see… Well, I guess you have probably figured out that I'm amnesiac."

Staring hard at the back of Oshitari's head, Gakuto could see him nod.

"May I ask for your name?"

Oshitari suddenly stiffened, but relaxed soon after. As he turned around, a smirk that hadn't been used for years returned to his face. "Oshitari Yuushi."

Blinking, something in Gakuto told the man to scowl. As he stared at Oshitari, trying to remember if he ever knew him, he found that he really wanted to wipe that smirk off the man's face.

---

_"Your face is annoying!"_

_"How so?"_

_"It… It just is!"_

---

His irritation took over and he opened his mouth. "What are you smirking at?"

"Hmmm? What are you talking about?"

Twitch. "You're laughing at me."

The accusation only made the smirk on Oshitari's face wider. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are! You're annoying!" Huffing, the man glared heatedly at the bluenette.

"Maa… If I'm so annoying, I guess I should take my leave now. Until we meet again, please take care." Oshitari gave a small wave and set off, not stopping this time. '_I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again very soon.'_

Gakuto stared after the man, the scowl still on his face. However, it soon turned into a small smile, but the redhead did not notice that he was smiling until a few moments later.

"Oshitari Yuushi, huh?" The name rolled off his tongue easily, strangely enough. Although he did not remember whom Oshitari was, something about the stranger he had met was familiar.

Maybe it was the annoying and arrogant air that the blue-haired man had around him?

Yawning, Gakuto checked his watch before squeaking at how late it was. "It's almost nine!"

Scrambling to pack up his violin, the man hurried out of the park, arriving at the apartment complex in less then 10 minutes. He slowed down as he started to climb the stairs and cringed when his keys jingled. Slowly opening to door to his new home, Gakuto tiptoed in (so that he would not wake his neighbors up) with a content smile on his face.

* * *

_Oshitari's Room, 9:34 P.M._

As Oshitari slipped under the silky blue covers of his bed, he felt himself replaying the events that happened today since Atobe visited him. Oddly, he felt himself relax. Although he had many thoughts going through his head, he did not get the headaches he usually got when his thoughts overwhelmed him.

Taking off his glasses, he carefully folded them up and reached over to put them on his nightstand.

Slowly, Oshitari felt himself drifting into a quiet slumber, and for the first time in the last few years, he slept through the night peacefully.

---

_"Go to sleep, Yuushi… You need it."_

---

_Morning…_

The sunlight shone through white curtains and caught the former tensai right in the face when he shifted in his bed. Wrinkling his nose and stirring, Oshitari groggily opened his eyes, rubbing them when he sat up. Yawning, the man felt younger and lighter than he had since high school ended.

Walking into the bathroom, he sluggishly turned on the water and took a cold shower to wake himself up. It didn't take long for his brain to suddenly become alert and his body to become numb.

Oshitari stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. Walking over to his closet, he nonchalantly picked out a pair of khaki shorts and a nice polo to go along with it.

A few moments later, Oshitari could be found in the kitchen preparing breakfast, in a light and happy mood. Adding a little bit of salt into his eggs, he flipped them over and let them cook a bit more before carefully putting them onto his plate.

As he put his plate on his counter and prepared to eat his breakfast, the phone rang.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. _

"Moshi moshi. Oshitari Yuushi speaking."

"Otou-san! Otou-san! Shi-nii-chan is talking to me!!"

* * *

T.B.C. 

Sorry for the delay. X-X School and writer's block is killing me. I know it's short, but aren't all of my chapters short? ONE DAY! One day I will post an extra, extra long chapter… xD

Now, reviews please? With a cherry on top?

_First Unrevised Version 10.18.07_


	5. MEMOIR Four: Wavering Thoughts

Disclaimer: Had I owned this series, I would be Ryoma, and I would be making out with Fuji Syusuke and/or Tezuka Kunimistsu. Unfortunately, Ryoma is Ryoma. And I'm me. (Aside from that, I don't think I could bear tearing apart the real Ryoma and Fuji (Tezuka?). xD

Gahh... I have this urge to start a multi-chaptered Pillar fic, but I shouldn't do that now, should I? xD Otherwise, I would have to neglect this fic. (Although I probably already am... I hate school.)

Enjoy!  
"**Bold**" English for dialog  
"Normal" Japanese when used for dialog  
"_Italics_" Flashback, Important Stuff, Locations, etc.

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**  
By Sweet Obsidian Rain

MEMOIR Four: Wavering Thoughts

* * *

_Oshitari's Apartment, 10:45 A.M._

"Otou-san! Otou-san! Shi-nii-chan is talking to me!!" The energetic voice of a young child about the age of six or so reached through the phone quite loudly. Oshitari winced at the volume and rubbed his ears before putting the call on speakerphone.

"Haruka-kun, I see you are well."

"Hee hee!" Oshitari could sense the child beaming at the phone. "How are you, Shi-nii-chan?"

"Nii-chan is fine. Is there anything you want?" The man smiled to himself when he heard Haruka's high-pitched giggle. The phone crackled and a different voice spoke through the phone.

"Ahh… Yuushi." The smile on Oshitari's lips died; the bluenet stiffened.

"Otou-san…"

There was a soft cough before Oshitari Tanaka spoke. "Yuushi, Okaa-san— your obaa-san, has been asking to see you. She's been feeling unwell lately."

The former Hyoutei player froze. "She has?"

"Yes." A tired sigh.

"I see… I shall go see her next weekend, if she is fine with that."

Another crackle and Oshitari could tell that his father was laughing. "That should be fine."

A tense silence followed soon after until a shriek pierced through the air, and through the phone connection. Tanaka sighed, "Haruka's in his rebellious stage already." A pause. "I think he just dumped his milk on one of the maids."

The statement made Oshitari chuckle. "I'll make sure to visit him when I go see Grandmother."

"Then I'm positive that Haruka will be looking forward to your visit. I have to go now, so take care of yourself… Son."

"I will. Thank you, Otou-san."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Oshitari stood there, staring at his phone before setting it down. His breakfast had gone cold, but he had lost his appetite. His family had called, and he would be returning back to the uncomfortable life as the eldest son of the rich Oshitari family. Things had gotten out of hand after his release from the hospital. It was then he had decided to move out, under certain conditions, such as attending to the family's needs when called for. He had refused at first, saying that if he agreed to those conditions, he would have to accept the title and responsibilities as the 'heir' to the Oshitari family.

And he didn't want that title. Instead, he fought until they agreed to his terms. They made Haruka, his younger brother who was at age two back then, heir. They agreed to stay out of his life unless he was really, really needed. And vice versa. He fought until his family accepted his decisions.

Putting on his casual shoes, Oshitari exited his apartment to take a short walk. It would help him clear his head, set him back into the good mood he was previously in.

And maybe he would meet up with Gakuto again.

Funny. After his encounter with the other man, his thoughts became much freer. Lively was a word that could describe his thoughts. He could think of Gakuto without that cold, forbidding, feeling he had always felt ever since that fateful day four years ago. He did it again. Gakuto. He had used 'Gakuto' instead of 'him' or any other pronoun he could use when he thought of the redhead.

The pain used to be almost unbearable whenever he used that name. But now, it was like he was a small child, an infant, and the first he had said was 'Gakuto'. It was a word, a name, which felt like he had been using ever since he existed. Natural.

---

_"How do you do that?_

_"Do what?"_

_"That. You make everything sound so easy."_

---

It was ironic really, how he had been in pain. Suffering from depression. But all it took was one meeting with the love of his life before everything became normal for him again.

Except it wasn't normal. The man he thought was dead came back to life. His family was calling him again. He had spent the last few years in what he called a 'nightmare'. And he was walking on the sidewalk doing goodness knows what!

The man stopped walking and looked up at the sky. It was a warm day, not too hot, or too chilly. A perfect day for tennis…

He didn't play the sport anymore though.

The mere thought of tennis reminded him of Gakuto. It had hurt too much. _Had._ He briefly wondered if he could play the sport again, after not playing for such a long time. Would he have to revert back to playing like a small child who just got a racket shoved into his hands, or would he remember the movements and play as he did back then?

Back then. The two words made him remember something else that was ironic.

_"In social relationships, there has to be a 'me', 'you' and 'us'. One should not depend too much on others," the PE teacher, a lady in her sixties said, looking at all her students as if they were little children that would not understand her unless she talked to them slowly and thoroughly._

_---_

_The bell rang and students all charged out of the classroom. A certain redhead was among that throng of people, dragging a blue-headed tensai with him. "Ne, Yuushi…"_

_"Hmm?" Oshitari was trying his best to stay on his feet, dodging the flailing arms from the people around them._

_"What Farri-sensei said back there, about the 'me', 'you' and 'us', I think that's bull. I mean, an 'us' is definitely much more powerful and has more of a chance to succeed, right?" Gakuto looked up with the eyes of an eager child._

_"Ah." Oshitari's hand twitched, wanting to pet his friend's head much like the way one does when petting a dog._

_"Well, then if you take the 'me' or the 'you' away, then the other will be left behind and become less powerful. Wouldn't you rather depend on each other to stay strong?" Gakuto scrunched up his face. "If that is really what a healthy social life is, then I'd rather have an unhealthy relationship with my friends."_

_Oshitari gave Gakuto an amused smile and voiced his opinion. "Well, I think you only mean that when you are around really close friends. For example, if I was seriously in love, I wouldn't want to feel like I'm weak when I'm away from someone whom I am only attracted to. I only want to feel that way for the one I love."_

_The redhead shot his friend an odd look. "And people call me weird…" he muttered under his breath, aware that Oshitari could hear him._

_"That's not nice, Gakuto."_

_"Che."_

Oshitari quirked the left corner of his lips to the side, and sighed. "Ne, Gakuto… I guess I did end having an unhealthy relationship with you."

The man continued to walk on, shaking his head to clear away his thoughts about the crazy things this already insane world. Lost in the silence of his walk, Oshitari did not notice his surroundings until it was too late.

"Watch out!" he heard someone shout before he felt another's body collide with his own.

* * *

T.B.C. 

Short chapter, I know. But I'm kind of lost as to where to take this story to where I want it to go, so it will take time for me to think things through. (I didn't like how this chapter turned out.) Also, because I have never experienced 'romantic love', I do now know how it works, what it really feels like, etc. Anything that has to do with the subject is merely just my theories and ideas on 'love'. By no means do I encourage people to have an 'unhealthy relationship' etc. It's fine if you disagree with me

Anyway, this ended in a somewhat cliffie. xD Who was the one that ran into Yuushi? What drama is the Oshitari family going to bring into Yuushi's already crazy life? Better yet, what happened?

Nya I will try to update as soon as possible! Reviews do help me. xD –wink wink-

_First Unrevised Version 11.21.07_


	6. MEMOIR Past: First Meeting

Disclaimer: I want Akame. Not the Prince of Tennis. But I can't get both. :(

Anyway, I apologize for the hiatus. I am sad to say that I am not back to writing regularly, as I have lost inspiration for all of my PoT stories. I am currently trying to ragain that interest, so bear with me. Anyway, there is a pole on my page that I would like my readers to vote, though it is only to see what would be appreciated. Again, I am sorry for not updating. I apologize for this lousy side story. Since I have nothing to update, I decided to post this side story of mine that was written for a school paper months ago.

Also: **Masochistic MEMOIRS**'s format has especially been screw up after the site's upgrade. Right now, I do not have the patience to go through and fix everything, but because I am planning to revise my on-going stories after the piece is finished, they will be fixed, though not for a very long time. I apologize for the confusion and eyeburning if you have read the previous chapters. My other stories probably are screwed up too, but I shall try to fix the multi-chaptered ones later in the future. Thank you!

* * *

**Masochistic MEMOIRS**: Side Story

By Sweet Obsidian Rain

"First Meeting"

* * *

Oshitari Yuushi was bored.

Of course, everyone knew that when you were bored you would try to find something to get rid of the boredom. And that was exactly what the boy was doing at the moment.

Oshitari skimmed through the spines of the various romance novels on the shelf. None of the titles caught his attention— all the ones that did, he had already read.

Sighing, the tensai (1) turned to walk out of the library, seeing as he was not going to find any good books to read. Before he could even blink though, he found himself trapped under a redhead with books scattered all over the place.

"Oww..." the redhead groaned and pulled himself up. He did not seem to notice Oshitari under him.

"Excuse me... Could you get off, please?"

The boy looked down and a look of panic passed his face before he jumped up. Reaching down to help the blunet up, the redhead grinned at him apologetically. "So sorry. I didn't mean to run into you."

Uncomfortable and not knowing what to do, Oshitari nodded and bent down to help the other boy pick up his books.

"What's your name?" the redhead asked. "Oh, thanks..." He took the books from Oshitari's arms and stacked them on a nearby table. "I'm Mukahi Gakuto. Nice to meet you."

Lost for words, the tensai only said his name and shook the outstretched hand. "Oshitari Yuushi."

The boy named Mukahi did not seem to notice Oshitari's uneasiness. "Hi! I'm new to the district. This is my first year as Hyoutei Gakuen. (2)"

The blunet (3) nodded. No wonder he had never seen the boy around before. "I see. Welcome to Hyoutei then."

"Are you looking for a romance novel to read?"

Oshitari reached up to push his glasses up before answering. "Yes, but it seems that all I've read all the interesting ones."

Gakuto looked eager. "Have you read this one yet?" He picked up the book at the top of his stack and showed it to his newfound friend.

The blue-haired boy took it and looked at the blue cover. "It doesn't have a title." He opened it up to find a title page, but found none. "It doesn't look interesting at all."

The redhead shook his head. "'You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.' Haven't you ever heard of that?"

x

_"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover."_

x

Of course he knew that.

Snapping the book shut, Oshitari sighed and buried his head into the pillow next to him. The book slid out of his hands and landed on his soft bed with a small bounce. _It's so boring… I don't get how that Mukahi finds this book good._

* * *

The next time he went to the library, he immediately headed straight to the one section he knew best. Romance novels of all kinds lined the shelves in that corner, and the smell of books there was slightly different. Not many visited this area of the library, so the smell of old books and the scented soap the janitor used to clan off the small table clung onto the air there. Scanning the rows again, he still found nothing that caught his interest.

"Ahem," someone cleared his throat behind him.

Oshitari turned around with his usual poker face on, but his jerky movements betrayed his surprise. Upon seeing a similar redhead, he narrowed his eyes and glared. "You." He did not know why he was so annoyed at the guy, but he just was.

"Me?" Gakuto looked surprised, oblivious to the annoyance Oshitari was showing towards him. "Yes, it's me! Did you like the book?"

"No," the other boy snapped. "It was boring, and the plot was too predictable. What kind of author would name her character after a type of soup?"

The redhead frowned, ignoring the soup comment. "Where are you in it?"

"Chapter five. I fell asleep reading it."

"Chapter five… chapter five…" Gakuto mumbled, deep in thought. "Ah! That was when Oshiruko (4) finally admitted that he likes the girl, right?" Seeing Oshitari nod, he continued, "Well, you aren't finished with the book yet. Why don't you read deeper into it before deciding?"

"It's not interesting. I'll just fall asleep again if I try to read further," Oshitari retorted stubbornly.

The redhead twitched, slightly frustrated. "No, if you read deeper into it, and make friends with it, it will speak out to you. It will be interesting, I promise. That's what I did, and it worked. You should try too."

_How…cheesy_, the blunet thought. He snorted. "No one can be _friends_ with a book, Mukahi," he said, emphasizing 'friend' to show his point.

Gakuto huffed and crossed his arms over his chest like a small child would when scolding someone else younger than them. "Well, then maybe you can try being friends with me, and I will show you how to be friends with the book!" Navy blue eyes narrowed with challenge.

"Heh," Oshitari smirked. "Why should I?"

But he found himself accepting the challenge anyway.

* * *

Glossary:

1. Tensai- Japanese term for 'prodigy' or 'genius'.

2. Blunet- Adopted from 'brunet'. Oshitari has blue hair.

3. Oshiruko- Japanese red been soup. Often served as dessert since it is sweet.

* * *

Urg. This piece is extremely choppy, but it is how it is. xD And the characters are somewhat OOC. And it is cheesy. -shot- I'm kind of busy right now, so I hope you can work with it? XD I'm such a bad writer. Anyway, the format is a bit different due to the way I had it when I turned this in as an assignment. I apologize for my laziness. XD Review, please?


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